Intensive Care
by requiemromance
Summary: What really happened after Barney's bus accident. B/R friendship


**Title: **Intensive Care

**Prompt: **#24 Tears, #94 Sanctuary

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **1,500

**Summary: **What really happened after Barney's bus accident.

**Note: **Response to prompts from lover100 challenge on livejournal

**Disclaimer:** I don't own it… I could never be that hilarious…

The second she heard that Barney was in the hospital, Robin's mind went into overdrive. For some reason, her mind went through every possibility in the book, from broken leg to minor cut to brain tumor, but nothing could prepare her for what really happened.

As soon as the nurse had told them where he was, four of Barney Stinson's closest friends raced down the stairs to the Intensive Care Unit, not caring who they knocked over or offended on the way. Robin can honestly say she'd never felt more scared in her life than she did when the letters "ICU" came out of the nurse's mouth. She didn't even stick around to hear what he was there for, but she knew it couldn't have been good. You don't go to Intensive Care for a minor cut.

She couldn't remember when Barney had become more important to her than any other friend. He was the one person she would save if she had to choose between her friends, and she only sometimes felt guilty about it. Maybe it was the fact that they were the only two single people left in their group and they'd been spending so much time together that she now considered him her first ever best friend. Maybe it was the fact that she'd slept with him. All she knew was that out of all the people close to her that could die, she didn't want it to be Barney.

Robin, Lily, Marshall and Ted arrived outside of the ICU in record time, panting as Marshall loudly asked for Barney's room number. The nurse at the nurses' station looked bewildered as she pointed to a room a few doors down the hall. They all ran towards the door, with Robin in the lead. As they reached it, however, they were blocked by a string of doctors leaving the room, all with completely expressionless faces.

Skittering to a halt, Robin braced herself as Ted bumped into her back rather abruptly, almost causing a domino effect. The group of five or so doctors stared at them before asking if they were the family of Barney Stinson.

Robin opened her mouth to say 'No, we're his friends', but Ted beat her in replying, "Yes, we're his family."

Before Robin had the chance to correct him, the doctors had pulled out a hospital chart and were flipping through it.

"He's been in quite the accident. Almost every bone in his body broken but he's surprisingly alive and stable. He's conscious right now and in a lot of shock and pain. I'll allow visitors in one at a time." One of the doctors, presumably the resident in charge, closed the chart and stared pointedly at the group.

They all exchange glances before Lily blurted out, "What happened?"

The doctors exchanged wry glances before one of the younger doctors, probably an intern said, "He was hit by a bus right outside of the hospital."

"Mr. Stinson is a very lucky man." The resident doctor replied before the group of doctors headed into the next room.

The group looked at each other, silently trying to decide who should see Barney first. Lily must have noticed the slight desperation in Robin's eyes because she looked at Marshall before gesturing for Robin to go into Barney's room. Robin glanced at Ted, who nodded, and almost ran into Barney's room.

Working on pure adrenaline, she yanked open the door and let out a yelp when she noticed the man on the bed, fully covered in plaster casts.

"Barney!" Robin rushed to his bedside, unable to control the tears that were cascading down her face.

Barney opened his eyes at the sound of her voice, face contorting into a smile that looked more like a wince. "Scherbatsky, hey."

His voice was raspy and harsh, which made Robin's chest constrict. She let out a quiet sob as she grasped tightly to the hand that wasn't elevated in a sling. Almost every inch of his body was covered in a cast, from his two legs and two arms to his chest. His neck was in a brace and she could see cuts and bruises on what little skin was exposed. He looked vulnerable and almost scared.

"God, you could have died!" She let out another sob and collapsed into the chair next to his bed, still gripping his hand tightly.

"I'm fine, Robin, but that might have to do with the fact that I can't feel anything below my neck because of the morphine they gave me. Just a bunch of broken bones and a few bruises and scraps. No surgery, no massive amounts of internal bleeding…" He trailed off as Robin gave him a look of pure anguish.

"You dumbass, you could have died." She looked angry almost, but Barney chalked it up to extreme emotional stress. She must have been, with two of her friends in the hospital on the same day. Despite her cold exterior, Barney knew that deep down, Robin was soft-hearted and really cared about her friends. Just like he was. It was something he lo- respected her for.

God, where did that come from?

Robin gave a few sniffles before letting go of his hand to wipe away her tears. "I'm sorry, Barney, about telling Ted about us sleeping together."

Barney let out a strained chuckle and turned to look at her as much as he could with a neck brace on. "No problem, Sparkles."

"Aw, thanks Swarley," Robin smiled shakily and the mood in the room suddenly becomes brighter.

"Robin! What did I say about that name?" Barney yelled as much as he could with his raspy voice and Robin let out a giggle. She felt a lot better now, knowing he was okay.

Ted, Lily and Marshall all poked their heads in the door at that point, obviously ignoring the doctor's rule about one visitor at a time. Lily let out a similar sound of horror as Robin when she saw Barney's condition, tears also streaming down her face; Marshall and Ted looked grave.

The three of them noticed Robin and Barney's expressions and visibly relaxed. Lily bustled to Barney's side, clucking at him like the mother she was. After her mothering, she knocked Barney gently upside the head and angrily yelled at him for being stupid. Then, she lightened up and she and Marshall proceeded to make jokes about what he saw flash before his eyes during his accident. Barney absentmindedly nodded in agreement to their suggestions of scotch-lactating boobs and suits made out of money but Robin caught a quick glance in her direction and her heart gave an unexpected flutter.

Ted loomed silently in the background as the whole commotion slowly died down. When Lily and Marshall quipped their last joke, Barney's eyes turned to Ted and there was suddenly an awkward pause before Ted finally gave in.

'Sorry's and 'its-okay-man's were exchanged and suddenly Robin found herself in a group hug complete with apologies and 'real-men-cry' tears. Ted and Barney were bros again and she felt relief that this whole 'sleeping with the ex-girlfriend' anger was all over.

That night, they all stayed with Barney. Lily and Marshall cuddled together on the couch in the room while Robin and Ted both claimed a chair. Barney argued with them for ten minutes that he was fine and didn't need them to stay before Lily gave him a glare and he shut up.

Robin knew secretly deep down he really didn't want them to leave them alone in a hospital but was too awesome to admit vulnerability. Which was why, when he let out a stifled yell at 3:00 in the morning, Robin jerked awake, immediately concerned.

"Are you okay, Barney?" she whispered, looking at him worriedly. He let out a few gasps of breath before managing to speak.

"I'm fine," he said, brushing off any concern. "Just a nightmare. Its normal."

He closed his eyes again and let out a shaky breath. Robin looked concerned for a second before she stood up out of her chair and climbed into his bed, careful of all he wires, tubes and slings. She lay down next to him and lay an arm softly on the cast of his abdomen. Barney's eyes opened wide, his body tensing under the casts. Robin didn't seem to notice as she snuggled close to him, still hazy with sleep.

Barney glanced down at her as best he could without moving his neck. She was drifting off again but her grip did not relax. Suddenly, he felt oddly safe, almost relaxed. That night, he didn't have any more nightmares of hot asphalt and blinding pain. That night, he dreamt of Robin.


End file.
